The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging concept that encompasses everything that is connected to the Internet. It is increasingly used to describe objects that can communicate with each other, and is made up of everything from simple sensors to smartphones, wearables, and automated systems. These devices can perform tasks, collect data, or help people learn. Examples include smart mirrors and beacons in shops.
Sensors
Sensors have been around for a long time, but with the rise of the Internet of Things, they have become even more important. For example, a Tesla vehicle is equipped with sensors that collect information, upload it to a big database, and send it to other vehicles. With the use of these sensors, the fleet of Tesla vehicles is becoming smarter every day. Sensors have also been around for decades, but with the rise of the IoT, they have been found in more things than just cars.
Interoperability
To ensure the interoperability of Internet of Things devices, nine leading technology companies have come together to create the Open Connectivity Foundation. The nonprofit organization will consolidate the work of the former UPnP Forum and Open Interconnect Consortium and develop a set of standards that will support the growing number of connected devices. The foundation also sponsors the open source IoTivity framework, a protocol designed to make devices talk to each other and interact with each other.
Privacy
The Internet of Things (IoT) brings with it the potential for privacy issues. Data collected by IoT applications passes through four major phases and several layers, so a protection scheme must guarantee privacy throughout these phases. Three of these phases are illustrated in Figure 3. In the fog phase, fog nodes are densely distributed at the edge of the network. These nodes increase the speed of IoT applications and reduce their dependence on trust with the Service Provider (SP).